March 23, 2015

Funding to Help Addiction Having ProblemsThe Sullivan County Regional Network’s Legislative Breakfast is this morning at the Sugar River Bank Community in Newport. Community United Regional Network will look at challenges and successes in substance abuse prevention and treatment. One of the challenges is sure to be funding for treatment. The House Finance Committee is currently hammering out its proposed 2016-2017 biennial budget, to maintain if not bolster funding for substance abuse programs.
At a Press Conference last week, NH Attorney General Joseph Foster said NH opiate abuse in NH is epidemic and ranks 3rd in the nation, but 49th for treatment

Foster also said that substance abuse is the most significant safety issue in our state, affecting law enforcement, first responders, and communities.

Foster said we need to attack the problem on the supply and demand side, calling for more opportunities for treatment and education as well as cutting off the supply.

New London Faces Expesive Repairs to Town Hall
The New London Selectboard is waiting for firmer figures on the repairs of the Academy Building. On March 13, Jim Wheeler and Public Works Director Richard Lee inspected the Town Hall building and found extensive dry rot after removing clapboards from one section of the building. An earlier bid on the project came in at $150,000 but it was prior to the dry rot being discovered. Wheeler doubts that figure will hold and is estimating the cost for repairs to the Town Hall will be $200,000 – $300,000. The figures could go higher but no one will know until all the clapboards are removed and repairs start.
Janet Kidder, Chair of the Selectboard suggested borrowing $200,000 to add to the $117,000 in the buildings maintenance fund, which would allow some money for work on the Fire Department Floor and Whipple Memorial Hall. Selectman Peter Bianchi isn’t sure if that will be enough.

Good Samaritan Turns Bad
Vermont State Police are looking to identify a man who assaulted a woman after he fixed her car. Police say just before 11 pm on Sunday a woman motorist at the Gulf Station in Cavendish Vt. was trying to get help with her broken down car. An unknown male stopped to assist her and fixed the car. After starting her car, the man asked her for money. The woman said she did not have any to give and the man assaulted her through the rolled down driver’s window. The victim was able to drive away and call the police. Police are looking for a white male, approximately 5’10 and slender built with shoulder length dirty blonde hair. At the time, he was wearing a blaze orange winter hat and a blue/gray coat. The suspect’s face had acne scars and his voice was raspy.